Govt. to set up Chiefs District Councils

-Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba says government is in a process of introducing Chiefs’ District Councils.

Mr. Kabimba , who is also Patriotic Front Secretary General,  said the chiefs’ District council shall comprise of all chiefs and will be mandated to deal with matter affecting development in their respective chiefdoms.

He said the process of decentralization is aimed at establishing structures starting from villages.

“ The PF government wants to work with chiefs as partners in development not in soliciting votes from their people, “ he said.

ZANIS reports that the minister said this when he officiated at the inauguration of Chief Mukobela of the forth of  Ila people in Namwala  District yesterday.

The Justice minister observed that it is for this reason that President Sata has always emphasized on the need of guarding natural resources and ensuring that they benefit the local people.

As  Zambia has a total of 1752 square kilometers of land mass against 73 tribes,  it is therefore imperative for chiefs to ensure that they do not give land indiscriminately.

Mr. Kabimba said the PF government wants to ensure that land is given to the local people and not foreigners.

He noted that it is not right for land to be given to foreigners at the expense of the local people.

He further called on chiefs and their subjects to guard land jealously.

He however reminded them to use land productively for their personal sustenance.

He said countries that are successful today are those that developed a culture hard work knowing well that if they did not work hard other people will come and rule them some day.

He further stated that government will this year build 650 health centers across the country of which Namwala district has been allocated nine centers.

He said government is committed to ensuring that it creates a country of health and educated people adding that Zambia cannot develop without educated and healthy citizens.

Meanwhile Headman Simon Mukweshi in his vote of thanks thanked government for the many developmental projects that the country has witnessed.

Headman Mukweshi said people of Namwala district are happy and in full support of the PF government.